Weiss, Rockies Get First Win

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 2: Troy Tulowitzki #2 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates in the dugout after scoring Dexter Fowler in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrafice fly against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 2, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 2: Troy Tulowitzki #2 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates in the dugout after scoring Dexter Fowler in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrafice fly against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 2, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Carlos Gonzalez is happy to see Troy Tulowitzki back in the Colorado Rockies’ lineup.

Gonzalez homered for the second straight game and drove in two runs to lead the Rockies over the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 Tuesday night, giving Walt Weiss his first win as a major league manager.

Tulowitzki also homered for the second straight game and drove in two runs, giving him four RBIs for the season.

Tulowitzki is off to a quick start after missing the last four months of the 2012 season with an injured left groin that required surgery. The All-Star shortstop went 2 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs in Monday’s loss on opening day.

“It’s great to have him out there,” Gonzalez said. “Any team would want him on their side. He is one of those players that can win games all by himself.”

Weiss, who posted his first victory, a year after managing his son’s high school team, had a lot of praise for Tulowitzki and Gonzalez after the game.

Michael Cuddyer #3 of the Colorado Rockies makes an outstanding jumping catch in right field to rob Alex Gonzalez of the Milwaukee Brewers during the bottom of the 8th inning at Miller Park on April 2, 2013 in Milwaukee. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)

“Tulowitzki looks great,” Weiss said. “Having him and Carlos in the three and four hole is very nice. Those two guys are going to have to be the ones if we are going to make a push this year.”

Gonzalez said he is seeing the ball well early in the season.

“I am not trying to hit home runs, but when pitchers make mistakes in this league, you have to make them pay,” he said. “So far, I feel really good at the plate and it is paying off.”

While the home runs were important, both Weiss and Gonzalez talked about the importance of the Rockies’ three-run seventh inning that features four singles, a walk and a sacrifice fly.

“We really had some good at-bats tonight,” Weiss said. “We did a little bit of everything out there. I know that if the game is close, our offense will do something.”

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was disappointed about the seventh inning.

“What do you do about an inning like that?” he said. “That’s weird. You don’t see too many innings that could go bad with really pretty good pitches. A bunt that maybe we should make a play on. The broken bat, I don’t know what you do about that thing. It just didn’t go well.”

Roenicke said Estrada struggled with his command.

“His off-speed pitches, which he usually can get command of as the game goes along, he didn’t get command of,” he said.

Rutledge had a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Chris Nelson’s RBI single in the second gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead. Carlos Gomez’s RBI double and Estrada’s RBI single in the bottom half put Milwaukee ahead 2-1.

Ryan Braun hit a two-run shot into the right-field seats in the third, his first home run of the season.

NOTES: Tulowitzki’s home run was his 131st since 2007, the most among active shortstops. … Braun kept up his robust hitting against De La Rosa, going 1 for 2. Overall, Braun is 8 for 11 against him with two home runs and three doubles. … After drawing 45,781 fans Monday, the fifth-largest crowd in Miller Park history, Tuesday night’s attendance was 24,753. … Brewers RHP Wily Peralta will close out the series on Wednesday against Rockies RHP Juan Nicasio.